Into the Bright Unknown (The Gold Seer Trilogy #3)(5)

Becky raises her chin. “I’m going to get what’s mine, of course.”

“You sure it’s worth the trouble?” the Major asks gently. “You earn so much each day with your restaurant, and you have a sound cabin already.”

Becky’s eyes soften. “I do. And I’m grateful for all of it. But that house has sentimental value. And it comes with other items of worth—some furniture, a few heirlooms. It would be a final courtesy to Mr. Joyner to lay hold of it all and pass it along to his children someday.”

“Well, that’s good enough reason for me,” the Major says.

“Ba!” says the baby girl in his lap.

“I would dearly love to see San Francisco,” Henry says. “My claim has done fine. I could take my stake to the city. Get a job as a tutor.”

“Maybe this is a good time to set up my law practice,” Tom says.

Jasper says, “I’d love the opportunity to study with a city doctor for a while.”

I stare at the college men, my heart sinking. “So . . . you want to leave Glory?” We traveled across a whole continent together, and I can’t imagine the place without them.

“Maybe,” Henry says.

“Just temporarily,” Jasper says, with a pointed look at his friends. “I’m not giving up my claim.”

But Tom grasps Henry’s hand with his own, and some kind of understanding passes between them.

Hampton reaches down to scritch Coney behind his long ears. “I wouldn’t mind heading to San Francisco, see if there’s any word of my wife, Adelaide.” With Tom’s help, Hampton arranged to buy his wife’s freedom. We’re hoping to hear the sale has gone through and she’s on her way. It’s probably way too soon—it takes months for letters to find their way back east—but you can’t blame a fellow for being optimistic.

Becky turns to Jefferson and me. “What about you two? Any interest in a trip to San Francisco?”

“I don’t want to give up my claim,” Jefferson says. “I’m about to be a married man!”

“Tug and the Buckeyes could work your claims while you’re gone,” Tom suggests. “In exchange for keeping a percentage of what they find. They’ve proven themselves hardworking and trustworthy. I could even draw up some quick contracts.”

“I suppose that would work,” Jeff says. “Lee, what do you think?”

“I think . . .” I take a deep breath. Mama and Daddy were originally from Boston. They used to tell me about the sea, about water that stretched farther than a body could gander, a color that’s the most perfect deep blue in the world. “I think I want to see the ocean.”

“Then it’s settled,” Jasper says.

“Wait, Becky, what about your restaurant?” I ask. “You have so many customers that—”

“I’ll do it,” Mary says, and we all look at her. “I can do it,” she insists.

Becky taps a finger to her lips, considering, sizing up the girl.

“I might need to hire a little help,” Mary adds, “but I can keep the place running.”

“Very well,” Becky says at last, and Mary grins from ear to ear.

“We should leave soon,” Tom says. “Maybe even tomorrow. I don’t know what they do with unclaimed property, but if Becky doesn’t act fast, it could get dumped into the bay. Or even stolen.”

We work out a few more details, but it’s settled in no time. The Joyners, the college men, Hampton, the Major, and Jefferson and I are all headed to San Francisco. The Buckeyes and Mary will stay behind to keep things running smoothly.

When our meeting comes to an end, Jefferson and I head out toward our adjacent claims, walking hand in hand, the dogs at our heels. I’m already rich. My stash of gold pieces and nuggets and dust is fit for a king. Still, I want to find as much gold as I can today, because who knows what our journey will bring?

“There’s another reason I want to go to San Francisco,” Jefferson says after a stretch of silence.

“Oh? Something you didn’t want to say in front of everyone else?”

“That James Henry Hardwick fellow. Doesn’t he have holdings there?”

We had some business with him over Christmas. We paid him a tidy sum for his services, and while he made good on his word to get rid of my uncle once and for all, he still hasn’t fulfilled all the terms of our agreement. “You’re thinking of the town charter he owes us.”

“Yep. If we don’t get that straightened out soon, the people of Glory have no protection. The town could just . . . go away.”

Together we leap over a small rivulet, onto a rocky embankment that marks the boundary of Jeff’s claim. “I thought you didn’t care about owning land and all that fuss.”

“I don’t. But Glory is bigger than me. It’s a safe place for a lot of folks now.”

“A sanctuary.”

“Exactly. A sanctuary. So maybe we can find Hardwick, remind him he still owes us that charter.”

I frown. “He gives me a bad feeling.”

“Oh? Why?”

“He uses tricky words and fancy deals and shiftiness. Like my uncle. I prefer a straight-up fight.”

Jefferson laughs. “Well, maybe we’ll learn to fight differently. Anyway, going is the right thing. It’s fitting.”